Come and Play the Pipe Organ

All Saints Church, Matamata, New Zealand

The organ pipes at All Saints Church, Matamata,

On Sunday afternoon 10th August, more than 50 people gathered in All Saints Church to listen to the church organ, observe closely an organist playing, to see inside the organ chamber, and some to play the organ.

After a welcome to all by the Vicar Ven Andrew Evans, MC David Brookes explained how the two manual/pedal organ was built in England, shipped out to NZ in 1962, and constructed in the newly built organ chamber in the church by George Croft and Sons NZ. The organ has 7 ranks of pipes, totalling 458 pipes, small compared to Auckland Town Hall 5.200, Liverpool Cathedral 11,000, and the Riverside Church, New York 12,000. There are two other similar pipe organs in Matamata churches. The organ console is detached and is behind the very large pulpit.

During the afternoon many people were given the opportunity to play the organ. It is hoped that one or two of these people may apply for an Organ Scholarship for a year, funded by the church, and after tuition will provide organ music for church
services.

Fergus Byett

We were also very fortunate to have a guest organist, Fergus Byett, who demonstrated the organ extremely well by presenting three organ solos during the afternoon. They were:

• ‘Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn’, BWV 630- J.S. Bach
• ‘Es ist Ros entsprungen’ op.122 no8 – Brahms
• Andante Tranquillo, from Five short Pieces – Percy Whitlock

Fergus is a young, talented musician -pianist, organist, composer who has obtained numerous music qualifications at the Waikato University, Hamilton and will shortly be moving to the UK to work in Ardingly College, Haywards Heath, West Sussex to assist in the music department.

This was a very successful afternoon in many ways, and if nothing else promoted the pipe organ and music. We look forward to receiving applications for the Organ Scholarship.

David Brookes.